Ribbon spreading device for carbon copy making attachments for typewriters



June 8, 1943- J. R. GESER RIBBON SPREADING DEVICE FOR CARBON COPY MAKING ATTACHMENTS FOR TYPEWRITERS Flled Sept 13 1941 sTATEs PATENT, OFFICE RIBBON SPREADING DEVICE FOR CARBON COPY MAKING ATTACHMENTS FOR, TYPE- WRITERS Josefine Rosa Geser, Zurich, Switzerland Application September 13, 1941, Serial No. 410,784 In Switzerland November 12, 1940 Claims. (0.197 153) The present invention relates to typewriter Knobs la and lb are provided at the ends of attachments for making carbon copies without the platen. 2a and 2b designate ribbons (e. g. the use of carbon paper. More particularly it two of them) used on the device, these ribbons relates to mechanism for spreading the ribbons being superposed and being wound upon the apart to facilitate the insertion of paper sheets common spools 3a and 3b. 8 designates two when a plurality of manifolding ribbons are used, paper guide rollers which are adapted to be as in an arrangement for making a plurality of axially displaced on a rod [0 in the usual mancarbon copies simultaneously. ner. The rod I0 is carried at its ends by swinging The object of the invention is to provide means arms carried by the casing 6. The front guide for permitting the ribbons to be spread apart 10 member of the casing is indicated by 6a. The when the attachment is swung away from the driving element of the ribbon spool 3a consists platen, and to be restored to writing position of the gear 5 which is driven by an intermediate when the attachment is returned to writing posigearing through agency of a toothed friction tion. It embraces a lever carried :by each of the roller or gear [5. The inner. or rear ribbon 2a ribbon spool housings at the end of the platen, runs over the tension roller 23 and around the said lever being connected to a spreader cam or stud 4 to the guide member 28, and the front eccentric which operates to spread the ribbons ribbon 2b is led by the carrier 26 to the guide apart when the attachment is swung away from member 29.

UNETE writing position. It also includes as a part of A lever is pivctally journaled on the stud 4 the lever an arm which is effective to restore carried by one wall of housing 6, this lever being the parts to writing position when the attachprovided with a spreader cam or eccentric 1, a ment is swung back toward the platen after the handle 9, and an arm l2. The front guide meminsertion of sheets. This latter action is faciliber 29 about which the ribbon 2b is conducted is tated by making the front or foremost ribbon resiliently constituted and is fastened by screws guide members of resilient sheet metal which I3 to the rear guide member 28 about which the serves to restore the parts under its action. An ribbon 2a is conducted. The front guide memoperating handle is provided on each of the levers ber 29 presses, due to its own resiliency, against at the front of the device and conveniently the spreader cam 1. The parts are so arranged accessible to the operator. that when the front guide member 29 is lifted,

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated 30 the arm I2 is in such a position that when the in the accompanying drawing by way of example, attachment is swung back into writing position,

wherein: the arm strikes against the platen I, (see Fig. 4). Fig. 1 is a plan view of an attachment embody- Further swinging of the attachment in the direcing the invention and applied to a typewriter. tion of the arrow- B serves to swing the arm [2 Fig. 2 is a side view of the attachment viewed upward in the direction of arrow'C until it finally in the direction of the arrow A of Fig. 1 with the reaches the position shown in Fig. 2. The spring attachment shown in writing position. pressure exerted by the front guide member on Fig. 3 is a front view of a portion of the device the spreader cam 1 assists this action until the showing the front ribbon guide member with the guide members, and hence the ribbons are in the operating handle of the spreader being cut away 40 writing position of Fig. 2. along the line II-II of Fig. 2. A centering stud 14 attached to the guide mem- Fig. 4 is a side View of the apparatus viewed in ber 28 and passing throughthe guide member 29 the direction of the arrow A of Fig. 1 showing guides the latter in its movements. A funnel-like the attachment swung out of the writing posimember IB' fastened to the guide member 28 tion. serves to guide the ribbons 2a and 2b.

Fig. 5 is a front view of a portion of the attach- The operation of the attachment is as follows: ment with the front guide member partly out When the attachment is swung away from the away to expose the rear guide member. writing positionof Fig. 2 and into the position of In the following description, only the parts of Fig. 4, turning the handle 9 in the dir ti f the device located at one side of the attachment arrow D serves to spread the ribbons apart by will be described inasmuch as the others may the amount indicated a. With the parts in this be regarded as mirror images thereof viewed from position, the writing sheets are inserted between a central plane. the ribbons. The attachment is then swung in In the drawing, 1 designates the platen of a the direction of arrow B again into the writing typewriter, to which the attachment is applied. position. As the attachment is swung in direcmachine instead of against the platen, and for the same purpose, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

t will be clear that the above device provides a simple and effective method of spreading the ribbons apart for the insertion of paper sheets and without unduly complicating the mechanism.

adapted for pivotal mounting on a typewriter carriage, said frame having a writin position housings and having an extension for engaging It will be understood that in practice, the ribbons 2a and 2b, driven from the platen by gearing "I5;

5 ,will progress past the platen as a sheet is being typed, also that when the ribbons have traveled acrossin one direction, they willbe reversed for their return traverse. Devices of this type are known, for example that disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 289,079, filed August 8,

1939, may be used. Obviously theuse of the invention is not limited to that particular structure.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed is:

1. In an attachment for typewriters, a frame adapted for mounting on a typewriter carriage and having a ribbonspool adjacent each end thereof; a housing for each of said spools; a pair of ribbons wound in superposed relation on said spools and connecting them; means for pivotally mounting said frame to bring it into writing position with said ribbons adjacent the writing field of the typewriter platen or to retract it and swing said ribbons away from said platen; a pair of superposed ribbon guide members on each of said housings; and means comprising an eccentric pivoted on each of said housings and an actuating handle therefor for spreading said ribbon guide members and the ribbons carried thereby apart when the frame is swung away from writing position. p v I v 2. In an attachment for typewriters, a frame adapted for mounting on a typewriter carriage andhaving a ribbon spool adjacent each end r thereof; a housing forgeach of said spools; a pair off-ribbons wound in superposed relation on said spools and'c'onnecting them; means for pivotally mounting said frame to bring it into writing position with said ribbons adjacent the writing field of the typewriter platenor to retract it and swing said ribbons away from said platen; a. pair of superposed ribbon guide members on each of said housings; eccentric means carried by'each of said housings and an actuating handle therefor for moving and holding said ribbon guide members and. said ribbons in spaced relation when the frame is moved away from writing position; and means actuated by restoration of said frame to writing position for again actuating said eccentric to restore the ribbons to writing position.

3. .In an attachment for typewriters, a frame said platen when the frame is retracted; and an eccentric pivoted to each of said levers and having an actuating handle for bringing and holding said ribbons in spaced relation when the frame is positioned away from writing position, said extension being effective when the frame is restored to writing position to actuate said eccentric and to permit restoration of the ribbons to writing position under the action of said resilient guide members. I

4. In an attachment for typewriters, a frame adapted for pivotal mounting on a typewriter carriage, said frame having a writing position and a retracted position; a ribbon spool housing adjacent'eac'h end of the frame; a ribbon spool rotatably mounted in each of said housings and carrying a pair of superposed ribbons; platen actuated means for unwinding said ribbons from one of said spools and winding them on the other; a pair of superposed ribbon guide members on each of said housings, the outer 'of said members being resilient; 'a pivoted lever on each housing and extending through both of the guide members, said lever having an operating handle at the front of the machine, and a platen engaging extension projecting .rearwardly; and eccentric means fixed to said levers and actuated by movement of said levers for spreading the associated guide members and the ribbons apart when the frame is in retracted position, and restoring 'the ribbons-to writing position through resiliency of the guide members when-the frame is .restored to writing position.

5. In an attachment for typewriters, a frame adapted for pivotal mounting on a typewriter carriage, said frame 'havinga writing position and a retracted position; a ribbon spool housing adjacent each end of the frame; a ribbon spool rotatably mounted in each of said housings and carrying a pair of superposed ribbons; platenactuated means-for unwinding said ribbons from one of said spools and winding them on the other; a pair of superposedribbon guide members on each of said housings, the outer of said members being resilient; alever pivoted oneachof said housings .and having an extension for engaging said platen when the frame is retracted; and eccentric means rendered effective when the frame is in retracted position for permitting actuation of said levers .to space said ribbons apart, and to permit restoration by said resilient members of the ribbons to writing position when the frame is restored to writing position.

JO'SEFINE ROSA 'GESER. 

